I am the primary sponsor of LD 1640 and a co-sponsor of LD 1578, presented by Speaker Eves. These bills will secure $263 million dollars from the federal government to expand Medicaid coverage to 69,500 hard working, deserving Mainers – including veterans. Right now these Mainers face a future without health insurance and without adequate access to necessary, healing and life-saving medical care.

Let me be clear: health care is not welfare — not to me and not to a single one of the 69,500 Mainers who will be left out in the cold if we do not bring them into our healthcare system.

It is pure common sense to take the opportunity we have right now and accept federal funds to expand Medicaid in Maine, to help those working Mainers who find themselves locked out of access to health insurance and to take the next step toward a unified, fair health care system open to all Mainers.

There are 2,700 veterans in Maine who would become eligible for care when we expand Medicaid. Don’t assume that all veterans young and old automatically receive care through the Veterans Administration. If we do not expand Medicaid, veterans will lose out – and perhaps live out their days without a basic right they fought for: and that’s the right to healthcare.

Both bills were held over during a HHS work session last week for a vote; it remains to be seen when they will eventually go before the Legislature.